Allen Westhttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/allen-west
en-usTue, 31 Mar 2015 17:51:39 -0400Tue, 31 Mar 2015 17:51:39 -0400The latest news on Allen West from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-blames-obama-for-ukraine-plane-crash-2014-7Former Congressman Blames Obama For Ukraine Plane Crashhttp://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-blames-obama-for-ukraine-plane-crash-2014-7
Fri, 18 Jul 2014 13:21:00 -0400Colin Campbell
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/53c955166bb3f72658b808b9-480-/ap120210022600-1.jpg" border="0" alt="AP120210022600" width="480" /></p><p>Former Congressman Allen West (R-Florida) thinks President Barack Obama "indirectly responsible" for Thursday's Malaysian Airlines <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-statement-ukraine-mh-17-crash-2014-7">plane crash in Ukraine</a>, which U.S. officials say could have been caused by an anti-aircraft missile from pro-Russian separatists.</p>
<p>"The blood on Vladimir Putin&rsquo;s hands was poured by Barack Obama, who is indirectly responsible, accountable and no different than Neville Chamberlain&rsquo;s weakness in the face of the 20th Century maniacal dictator Adolf Hitler," West, who maintains a relatively large following among conservative activists, wrote <a href="http://allenbwest.com/2014/07/298-souls-mh17-paid-price-obamas-flexibility-video/#xLshuJxQj9rRqzpC.99">in a new post on his blog</a> Friday.</p>
<p>"So much for no drama Obama," West added. "He is purposefully creating drama globally."</p>
<p>To substantiate his claim, West cited Obama's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/us/politics/obama-caught-on-microphone-telling-medvedev-of-flexibility.html">2012 hot mic moment</a> when he told Russian President Dmitri Medvedev he would have more "flexibility" to negotiate with Russia on missile defense after the U.S. election.</p>
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<p>"Sadly, hundreds of Ukrainians and 298 souls on MH17 have paid the price for the weakness and abject cowardice of Obama&rsquo;s 'flexibility,'" West wrote. "And here in America we quibble over a lawsuit against this charlatan."</p>
</div><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-blames-obama-for-ukraine-plane-crash-2014-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-concedes-house-race-patrick-murphy-2012-11FINALLY: Tea Party Favorite Allen West Has Concededhttp://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-concedes-house-race-patrick-murphy-2012-11
Tue, 20 Nov 2012 08:16:00 -0500Brett LoGiurato
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/4f8efa196bb3f7063800006d-400-300/allen-west.jpg" border="0" alt="Allen West" /></p><p>Republican Florida Rep. Allen West has conceded in his House race to Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy, capping off a long two-week battle in which he demanded a recount.</p>
<p>&ldquo;While there are certainly still inaccuracies in the results, and the actions of the St. Lucie County and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/palm-inc" class="hidden_link">Palm</a> Beach County Supervisors of Elections rightly raise questions in my mind and for many voters, after much analysis and this past weekend&rsquo;s recount in St. Lucie County, our legal team does not believe there are enough over-counted, undercounted or fraudulent votes to change the outcome of the election,&rdquo; West said in a statement this morning that also congratulated Murphy.</p>
<p>West <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-loses-election-patrick-murphy-2012-11" target="_blank">was declared the loser by multiple outlets late on Election Night</a>, but he refused to concede and demanded a recount, citing possible fraudulent outcomes in St. Lucie County. The eventual recount in the county actually added to Murphy's lead.</p>
<p>West's loss ends a two-year run for the Representative, who was swept into Congress during the 2010 Tea Party wave. He was known as one of the most outspoken and brash new members of Congress.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Murphy said in a statement that he was "excited and honored to get to work."</p>
<p><span>&ldquo;I appreciate Congressman West's gracious concession today," he said. "I am truly humbled that the voters of the 18th district have entrusted me to represent them in Washington. To those who supported my opponent, my door is open and I want to hear your voice. I campaigned on a message of reaching across the aisle to get things done for the people of the Treasure Coast and Palm Beaches, and that is as important in this district as it is in Washington. I&nbsp;am excited and honored to get to work.&rdquo;</span></p>
<div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-concedes-house-race-patrick-murphy-2012-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/georgia-invites-allen-west-to-run-for-congress-2012-11Georgia Invites Ousted Florida Congressman Allen West To Run For Congresshttp://www.businessinsider.com/georgia-invites-allen-west-to-run-for-congress-2012-11
Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:36:57 -0500Alexis Levinson
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/506229416bb3f7ed07000042-400-/allen-west.png" border="0" alt="allen west" width="400" /></p><p>If at first you don&rsquo;t succeed at getting re-elected, try again in a different district?</p>
<p>That&rsquo;s what the Georgia Republican Party has invited Florida Congressman Allen West to do, according to the <a href="http://blogs.ajc.com/political-insider-jim-galloway/2012/11/13/your-daily-jolt-an-invitation-to-allen-west-from-the-ga-gop/?cxntfid=blogs_political_insider_jim_galloway" target="_blank" class="external">Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a>, after he appears to have lost his bid for re-election in his Florida congressional district.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I would be glad to have him come back to Georgia and at some point run here,&rdquo; Georgia GOP Chair Sue Everhart told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I would certainly try to help him because he has done his job. The way he ran his race didn&rsquo;t in any way interfere with the job he did. He ran as a Republican, a conservative Republican.&rdquo;</p>
<p>West is a native of Atlanta.</p>
<p>Everhart deemed him &ldquo;one of the finest congressmen this country&rsquo;s ever had.&rdquo;</p>
<p>West&rsquo;s Democratic opponent, Patrick Murphy, has been declared the winner of the Congressional race in Florida&rsquo;s 18th District race. West, however, is demanding a full recount and has not conceded.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/georgia-invites-allen-west-to-run-for-congress-2012-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-loses-election-patrick-murphy-2012-11UPDATE: Allen West Won't Concede, And The Race Could Be Headed For A Recounthttp://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-loses-election-patrick-murphy-2012-11
Wed, 07 Nov 2012 12:35:00 -0500Brett LoGiurato
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/nbc" class="hidden_link">NBC</a> projected last night that Florida Republican Congressman and Tea Party favorite Allen West would lose his election race to Democratic challenger Patrick Murphy, but West is refusing to concede.&nbsp;</p>
<p>With 100 percent of the vote in, Murphy leads West by fewer than 2,500 votes. <span>NBC projected Murphy would win last night, but neither <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/cnn" class="hidden_link">CNN</a> nor The Associated Press have yet to make a call.&nbsp;</span>In a statement today, West campaign manager Tim Edson said that the race was not over.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"This race is far from decided and there is no rush to declare an outcome.&nbsp; Ensuring a fair and accurate counting of all ballots is of the utmost importance.&nbsp; There are still tens of thousands of absentee ballots to be counted in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/palm-inc" class="hidden_link">Palm</a> Beach County and potential provisional ballots across the district.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.politico.com/blogs/charlie-mahtesian/2012/11/allen-west-it-aint-over-til-its-over-148860.html" target="_blank">He added</a>: "We will continue to fight to ensure every vote is counted properly and fairly, and accordingly will pursue all legal means necessary."</p>
<p>Murphy declared victory early Wednesday morning in a statement.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I am humbled by the outpouring of support from the voters of the Treasure Coast and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/palm-inc" class="hidden_link">Palm</a> Beaches. I pledge to be a representative who will work across the aisle, listen to all points of views, and work to end the divisiveness in Congress. Our country faces many challenges, and by working together we will continue to move our country forward.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Here are the results, via <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/cnn" class="hidden_link">CNN</a>:</p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/509a9b5269bedd772a000012-928-157/allen-west.png?maxX=625" border="0" alt="Allen West" width="625" /></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<script src="http://player.ooyala.com/v3/YmIxZjUyM2JmZGM4YTFjMmVmNTcwNWY5" type="text/javascript"></script>
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<noscript><div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div></noscript><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-loses-election-patrick-murphy-2012-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-jobs-report-jack-welch-cnbc-interview-2012-10Tea Party Congressman Allen West Had One Of The Testier Interviews We've Seen On CNBChttp://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-jobs-report-jack-welch-cnbc-interview-2012-10
Fri, 05 Oct 2012 15:20:18 -0400Brett LoGiurato
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/506f31daecad04f622000007-400-300/allen-west-cnbc.jpg" border="0" alt="Allen West CNBC" /></p><p>Florida Republican Rep. Allen West <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-jack-welch-jobs-report-manipulation-obama-2012-10" target="_blank">defended his skepticism surrounding the September non-farm payrolls report</a> in an interview on CNBC early this afternoon. West got rather testy with interviewer&nbsp;Tyler Mathisen, who wasn't buying <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jack-welch-jobs-report-obama-conservatives-laura-ingraham-allen-west-2012-10" target="_blank">West's reasons for joining the conspiracy</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here's a particularly edgy exchange:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">MATHISEN: "You are alleging specifically that the president is engaging in a cover-up of the data. You are saying that the administration is actively manipulating that data. Correct?"</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">WEST: "Well, absolutely. Look at what happened with our GDP numbers. Fourth-quarter GDP numbers last year were 3 percent..."</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">MATHISEN: "Do you have any basis on which you say that? <em>Do you have any basis on which you say that?</em> <strong>Any source? Anyone that has come to you and said, 'This is the case?'</strong> <strong>I mean, do you realize how difficult it would be for someone to pull off that kind of conspiracy</strong>, given the number of people in the labor department, given the number of surveyors out there, one of whom would probably say, 'Wait a minute! That's not the right number!'"</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">WEST: "Well, if you would stop yelling in my ear and allow me to answer your questions, maybe we could get to the bottom of this. When you look at the GDP numbers &mdash; which have gone from 4.1 percent, then it went to 1.9 percent, then it was at 1.7 percent. It got revised down just about a month ago to 1.3 percent. We've got numbers that are all over the place. And we don't understand the direction this economy is going. ... I don't see these numbers that people are talking about, and <strong>I don't see how they can come back later in this month and say they're revising the numbers from July and August</strong>. So I'm very questionable with what we do see out of this administration, because the numbers don't add up.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Here's the full video, during which West accuses Mathisen of "questioning [his] intelligence":</p>
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Fri, 28 Sep 2012 13:30:00 -0400Brett LoGiurato
<p>Republican Rep.&nbsp;<strong>Allen West</strong>'s campaign released one of the most vicious campaign ads of the 2012 election season, slamming Democratic challenger&nbsp;<strong>Patrick Murphy</strong> for a 2003 bar fight.&nbsp;</p>
<p>West, who is running for re-election in Florida's 22nd congressional district, contrasted Murphy's 2003 arrest with what West was preparing to do at the time &mdash; go to war.</p>
<p>Here's the script of the ad:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>"Feb. 16, 2003, Fort Hood, Texas: Lt. Col. Allen West had just received deployment orders, and prepares his men to go to war. That night, South Beach, Miami: Patrick Murphy is thrown out of a club for fighting, covered in alcohol, and unable to stand. Murphy then confronts and verbally assaults a police officer. Patrick Murphy was arrested and taken to jail. </em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><em><strong>Two men, a country in crisis &mdash; you decide."</strong></em></p>
<p>Murphy's campaign said in an email that it will have an official response soon.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Murphy was a 19-year-old freshman at the University of Miami when he was <a href="http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/dem-candidate-murphy-drunken-disorderly-incident-a/nPXTH/" target="_blank">arrested on&nbsp;</a><span><a href="http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/dem-candidate-murphy-drunken-disorderly-incident-a/nPXTH/" target="_blank">charges of disorderly intoxication and possessing a fake driver license</a>. In an interview with&nbsp;<em>The <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/palm-inc" class="hidden_link">Palm</a> Beach Post,</em> Murphy called it the "biggest mistake of my life."</span></p>
<p>West's military career, meanwhile, isn't without controversy of its own. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/27/world/struggle-for-iraq-interrogations-colonel-risked-his-career-menacing-detainee.html?pagewanted=all&amp;src=pm" target="_blank">West fired a pistol</a>&nbsp;next to the head of an Iraqi policeman during an interrogation, ending his career in the military. West claimed that he received intelligence of a plot to attack his unit, but later admitted it was "<span>possible that I was wrong."</span></p>
<p><span>Watch the ad below:</span></p>
<p><iframe width="600" height="360" frameborder="0" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/R-lDL9_qDDs"></iframe></p>
<p><strong>UPDATE:&nbsp;</strong>The Murphy campaign responds:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><em>&ldquo;Allen West is shamelessly attacking Patrick Murphy for a mistake he made as a teenager, which he has discussed at length in the media as a mistake he learned from. &nbsp;West then goes on to discuss his tenure in the military in 2003 while failing to acknowledge that he was criminally charged that year for assault and violating the Uniform Code of Military Justice,"&nbsp;said Murphy for Congress communications director Erin Moffet. &nbsp;"The only reason he was able to escape prosecution is because he cut a deal to retire. &nbsp;Unfortunately, West's unstable behavior has continued in Congress, and he continues to diminish the office and the people to which he serves.&rdquo;</em></p>
<p><em>This post has been updated.</em></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-ad-patrick-murphy-congress-florida-house-republicans-polls-2012-9#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-obama-united-nations-islam-2012-9Tea Party Favorite Allen West Wrote His Own Speech To The United Nations, And It Is Pretty Crazyhttp://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-obama-united-nations-islam-2012-9
Tue, 25 Sep 2012 18:02:40 -0400Grace Wyler
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/506229416bb3f7ed07000042/allen-west.png" border="0" alt="allen west" /></p><p>Florida Congressman Allen West had harsh criticism for Barack Obama after the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-un-speech-general-assembly-2012-9">President's speech at the United Nations today.&nbsp;</a></p>
<p>In a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/notes/congressman-allen-west/the-president-continues-to-offer-up-apologieswhen-tolerance-becomes-a-one-way-st/408947045824995">Facebook post</a> Tuesday, the Tea Party favorite accused Obama of continuing to "offer up apologies instead of defending our hard earned First Amendment right to freedom of speech," and slammed the President for not referring to the attacks on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi as a terrorist attack.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Then West offers what his own statement to the United Nations "would have been:"</p>
<p><strong>"The future does not belong to those who attack our Embassies and Consulates and kill our Ambassadors. The Angel of Death in the form of an American Bald Eagle will visit you and wreak havoc and destruction upon your existence."&nbsp;</strong></p>
<p>(h/t HuffPost Hill)</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-obama-united-nations-islam-2012-9#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-social-security-slavery-florida-rep-tea-party-2012-7Tea Party Rep. Allen West: Social Security Benefits 'A Form Of Modern, 21st Century Slavery'http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-social-security-slavery-florida-rep-tea-party-2012-7
Sun, 08 Jul 2012 15:26:00 -0400Brett LoGiurato
<p><strong>Florida Rep. Allen West</strong>, who <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-democrats-are-communists-2012-4" target="_blank">has made more than a few controversial comments over the past few months</a>, said Sunday that social security is a "form of modern, 21st century slavery."</p>
<p>This is the second time in a week week that West has used the "slavery" analogy. Last Sunday, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/07/rep-allen-west-says-obama-creates-economic-slaves/" target="_blank">he said at a campaign speech</a> that<strong>&nbsp;</strong>President Barack Obama would "<span>rather you be his slave and be economically dependent upon him."</span></p>
<p><span>This Sunday, he didn't back away from those comments and piled on. On Fox and Friends, West was asked if he had a theory as to why more Americans were signing up for social security disability benefits.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span><span>"Now, when people are running out of the unemployment benefits, now they are looking toward going on social security disability. ... So, once again, we are creating the sense of economic dependence, which to me is a form of modern, 21st century slavery."</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>Watch the full clip below:</span></span></p>
<p><span><span><br /></span></span></p>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://video.foxnews.com/v/embed.js?id=1725368704001&amp;w=466&amp;h=263"></script>
<noscript>Watch the latest video at &amp;amp;lt;a href="http://video.foxnews.com"&amp;amp;gt;video.foxnews.com&amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;gt;</noscript><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-social-security-slavery-florida-rep-tea-party-2012-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-obama-immigration-dream-act-voter-fraud-tea-party-2012-6ALLEN WEST: The Obama Administration's Immigration Order Is A Voter Fraud Ployhttp://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-obama-immigration-dream-act-voter-fraud-tea-party-2012-6
Fri, 15 Jun 2012 12:48:00 -0400Brett LoGiurato
<p>The Tea Party is collectively freaking out after the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-administration-ending-deportation-granting-work-permits-young-illegal-immigrants-2012-6" target="_blank">Obama administration's announcement this morning</a> that it would stop deporting and grant work permits to some young illegal immigrants. And Republican <a href="http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/americas-newsroom/index.html" target="_blank">Rep. Allen West of Florida is leading the charge</a>.</p>
<p>On Fox's "American Newsroom" this morning, West questioned if the administration was engaging in some sort of massive voter fraud conspiracy. Watch, starting around the three-minute mark:</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://video.foxnews.com/v/embed.js?id=1691032555001&amp;w=466&amp;h=263"></script>
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<p><span><strong>&ldquo;I think there's devils in the details,"</strong> West said. "That's why we should allow this legislative process to go through our committees. Because I can start to ask questions about what is going to happen as far as their right to vote.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span></span><strong>"Is this one of those backdoor opportunities to allow people in the next five months to get the opportunity to vote?</strong><span>&nbsp;Will we see <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/janet-napolitano" class="hidden_link">Janet Napolitano</a> and the president come out with a new edict that says, 'Since we allow this people to be here legally, we&rsquo;re now going to allow them to have the opportunity to vote. So, how far down the rabbit hole does this go? That's the greatest concern &mdash; that we have something where we really don't know how the details will flesh out. We just have this basic executive order."</span></p>
<p><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-obama-immigration-dream-act-voter-fraud-tea-party-2012-6#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/the-tea-party-betrayed-2012-5Here Are 10 Republican Freshmen Who Betrayed The Tea Party Movementhttp://www.businessinsider.com/the-tea-party-betrayed-2012-5
Thu, 17 May 2012 06:15:26 -0400Brett LoGiurato
<p class="p1"><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4df65d3accd1d519090e0000/allen-west.png" border="0" alt="allen west" /></p><p>In 2010, 87 Republicans rode a wave of "tea party" momentum into Congress for the first time. They were elected on a populist mandate to cut government spending, cut taxes and reduce the national debt. Still in 2012, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/tea-party-ousts-dick-lugar-2012-5" target="_blank">with Republicans like Richard Mourdock in Indiana</a>, they promise to be the "anti-establishment" Republicans.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">But are the tea party Republicans really that different from the so-called establishment? According to a report from Club for Growth, an organization advocating conservative economic principles, there's not much of a difference.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1"><a href="http://www.clubforgrowth.org/freshmanvotestudy/" target="_blank">Club for Growth's report studied 37 key issues</a> and looked at the freshmen's votes. They compared the votes with the club's official position and determined their "club score" as a measure of how faithful the freshmen have been to the principles they advocated during their campaigns.</p>
<p class="p1">Their results? "Establishment" Republicans scored an average of 69 percent. The freshmen scored an average of 71 percent.&nbsp;</p>
<p class="p1">"We're not interested in the rhetoric of elected officials," said Barney Keller, a spokesman for the club. "We're interested in the actions they take as members of Congress."</p>
<p class="p1">Calling it "disappointing," Keller added, "There's essentially no difference in the voting patterns."</p>
<p class="p1">Here's a look at 10 of the worst offenders, either on score or on failure to live up to name recognition.&nbsp;</p><h3>Dave McKinley (West Virginia)</h3>
<img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4fb3fe5eeab8eaf71c000030-400-300/dave-mckinley-west-virginia.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>McKinley earns the dubious distinction of having the lowest club score &mdash; it stands at&nbsp;<strong>37 percent</strong>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Among his faults: McKinley voted against the Republican Study Committee budget, which proponents say would balance the budget in 10 years. He also voted against cutting energy subsidies and&nbsp;<span>slashing most continuing appropriations spending by 5.5 percent.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>At least for his sake, he did vote to repeal Obamacare.</span></p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Allen West (Florida)</h3>
<img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/4f85a96869bedd626f00001f-400-300/allen-west-florida.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>Allen West, tea party darling, scored only 64 percent. He voted against cutting appropriations and against rolling back most spending to 2006 levels. And he voted to increase the debt limit.</p>
<p>"Allen West has voted repeatedly against spending cuts, and he voted to raise the debt ceiling," Keller said. "Which indicates to us that he's not really committed to the tea party ideals of limited government and fiscal responsibility that got him elected."</p></p>
<br/><br/><h3>Charlie Bass (New Hampshire)</h3>
<img src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/4fb4034269bedd5a51000008-400-300/charlie-bass-new-hampshire.jpg" alt="" />
<p><p>In 2010, Bass ran on a platform claiming that <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/politics-politico/for-failed-candidates-tea-partys-the-ticket-264333/?print=1" target="_blank">his agenda was "exactly the same</a>" as the tea party's. As the Club for Growth noted in a release accompanying the report, he scored a "pathetic" 48 percent in the club's report.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There's a common theme developing here: Voting to raise the debt ceiling, voting against cutting appropriations and rolling back spending to 2006 levels.</p></p>
<br/><br/><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-tea-party-betrayed-2012-5#nan-hayworth-new-york-4">See the rest of the story at Business Insider</a> http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-communist-remarks-democrats-push-back-2012-4Now Allen West Wants Your Money Because He Called Democrats Communistshttp://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-communist-remarks-democrats-push-back-2012-4
Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:38:01 -0400Brett LoGiurato
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/4f8efa196bb3f7063800006d/allen-west.jpg" border="0" alt="Allen West" /></p><p>Allen West not only refused to back away from comments he made <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-democrats-are-communists-2012-4?utm_source=alerts&amp;nr_email_referer=1" target="_blank">last week in which referred to "78 to 81" members of the Democratic Party as members of the Communist Party</a>. West is also attempting to fundraise off the comments.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span>"What a week," Allen wrote in a letter to supporters. "My observation about the political ideology of the &ldquo;left&rdquo; apparently generated such an extreme response, it indicated a direct hit." In a subsequent email to supporters, he said he stood by his comments last week and wrote, "<span>I need you to stand with me today by making a contribution of $10 or more.&rdquo;</span></span></p>
<p><span><span>In the letter to supporters and when speaking at the&nbsp;<span>Conversations with Conservatives press event in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, West refused to back down but attempted to clarify his beliefs.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;No, I don&rsquo;t regret it whatsoever,&rdquo; West said in video captured by the <a href="http://shark-tank.net/2012/04/17/28275/" target="_blank">conservative website The Shark Tank</a>. &ldquo;And I think that if you would take the time to study the political spectrum of ideologies, you&rsquo;d understand that at the turn of the century, American Communists renamed themselves as <em>progressives</em>. If you study the Woodrow Wilson administration, people referred to the Woodrow Wilson administration as a&nbsp;<em>progressive</em>&nbsp;administration."</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/K4FnkhFxYPU"></iframe>&nbsp;</p>
<p>West goes on to say that everyone should do some "research" of political history and the different ideologies that run with each party.&nbsp;</p>
<p>It should be noted that a lot of <a href="http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/s_716168.html" target="_blank">actual Communists did not particularly like Wilson</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p><span><span><span><span>"It&rsquo;s about nationalizing production. It's about creating and expanding the welfare state. It&rsquo;s about this idea of social and economic justice. And you hear that being played out &mdash; you know, now with fairness, fair share, economic equality, shared sacrifice,&nbsp;</span>ad nauseum," West said.&nbsp;</span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span>The campaign of Patrick Murphy, West's challenger in the election for a seat in Florida's 18th District, has responded by launching an online petition hoping to pressure West into apologizing. The campaign said today that it has more than 10,000 signatures thus far.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span>"West not only gets history wrong, he completely gets the mood of the <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/palm-inc">Palm</a> Beaches and Treasure Coast wrong," Murphy said today. "It is obvious that Congressman West has no interest in working to get things done for the people he represents. Name-calling and insulting his political opponents are apparently his only interpretations of leadership."</span></span></span></span></span></p>
<p><span><span><span><span><span>West's charge last week was that the members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus were actually members of the Communist Party, because the Communist Party has referred to the CPC as an "ally" before. Pretty much everyone, from Murphy to the CPC to the Communist Party itself, refuted this idea.&nbsp;</span></span></span></span></span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-communist-remarks-democrats-push-back-2012-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-democrats-are-communists-2012-4Allen West Claims 78 To 81 Congressional Democrats Are Members Of The Communist Partyhttp://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-democrats-are-communists-2012-4
Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:36:00 -0400Brett LoGiurato
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/4f85a96869bedd626f00001f-400-/allen-west.jpg" border="0" alt="Allen West" width="400" /></p><p></p>
<p><strong>UPDATE, 4:40 p.m. ET &mdash;&nbsp;</strong>Allen West's campaign manager, Tim Edson, <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2012/04/11/stupid-reporter-took-communist-allegation-out-of-context-says-allen-wests-campaign/" target="_blank">told The Daily Caller</a>&nbsp;that a "stupid reporter" from the <a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/palm-inc">Palm</a> Beach Post took West's comments out of context.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>
<p>We updated the video at the end of the post to reflect the full context of West's comments. Edson said he was taking a "jab" at the Congressional Progressive Caucus.</p>
<p><em><strong>ORIGINAL STORY:</strong></em></p>
<p>Florida U.S. Rep. Allen West's latest headline-grabbing claim has earned him comparisons to the former Senator Joe McCarthy.</p>
<p>This morning at a town-hall event in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/palm-inc" class="hidden_link">Palm</a> Beach, he told supporters that he has "heard" that up to 81 Democrats are, in fact, communists, <a href="http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/state/allen-west-hears-cheers-jeers-at-town-hall-2295766.html?cxtype=rss_news" target="_blank">the Palm Beach Post reports</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p>There are currently 190 Democrats in the House of Representatives. West didn't name any names.</p>
<p>In the video below, someone asks West how many members of the Democratic Party are "card-carrying Marxist Socialists."&nbsp;</p>
<p><strong>"I believe that there are about 78 to 81 members of the Democratic Party that are members of the Communist Party,"</strong> West responds. Oddly specific, it causes a buzz in the crowd.&nbsp;</p>
<p>When pressed for specifics, a spokeswoman for the West campaign said that West was referring to the 76 members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"The Communist Party has publicly referred to the Progressive Caucus as its allies," West spokeswoman Angela Martin said in an email to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/business-insider" class="hidden_link">Business Insider</a>, <a href="http://www.cpusa.org/convention-discussion-what-can-we-learn-from-the-movement-for-health-care-reform/" target="_blank">pointing to this 2010 release</a>. "The Progressive Caucus speaks for itself. These individuals certainly aren't proponents of free markets or individual economic freedom.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Of course, because the Communist Party has referred to the Progressive Caucus as an ally does not signal correlation. And it certainly doesn't mean that the Democrats are also&nbsp;<em>members</em> of the Communist Party. No members Congress are members of the Communist Party. And there is absolutely no mention of the Communist Party on the <a href="http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/" target="_blank">Congressional Progressive Caucus website</a>.</p>
<p>A spokesman for the campaign of Patrick Murphy, the Democratic challenger to West for Florida's 18th District seat in the House, said West's words were "divisive" and "don't need to be in our political discourse."</p>
<p>"That was exactly what McCarthy did &mdash; accuse people without much evidence of being communists," the spokesman Anthony Kusich told Business Insider. "We thankfully put that chapter of our history behind us. Now, I guess if you disagree with someone on policy, you're also a communist. I don't think the American people and the people of Florida believe that."</p>
<p>At the same event, West said President Barack Obama would be "scared" to have a discussion with him. From the Palm Beach Post:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;"><em>"I really wish that, standing here before you, was Allen West and President Obama," West said. "We could have a simple discussion. But that ain't ever gonna happen."</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;"><em>&nbsp;"Why not?" an audience member asked.</em></p>
<p style="padding-left: 60px;"><em>&nbsp;"Cuz he was too scared!" West responded in a mocking voice.</em></p>
<p>The comments come at a time when West's name is being thrown into the ring as a potential vice presidential candidate by a few Republican higher-ups. Both the <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/74961.html" target="_blank">former Republican candidate Herman Cain</a> and <a href="http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0412/74808.html" target="_blank">former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin</a> have touted West, a Tea Party favorite, as a potential VP nominee for <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/mitt-romney" class="hidden_link">Mitt Romney</a>.&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/GqWyzzn4-xI"></iframe></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/allen-west-democrats-are-communists-2012-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/jon-stewart-allen-west-michele-bachmann-video-2011-7Jon Stewart: Allen West And Michele Bachmann Should, Er, Stop Explaining Themselves http://www.businessinsider.com/jon-stewart-allen-west-michele-bachmann-video-2011-7
Fri, 22 Jul 2011 09:25:00 -0400Glynnis MacNicol
<p>File under: "Statement of clarification that probably won't do you any good."</p>
<p><strong>Allen West</strong> loves women.&nbsp; <strong><a class="hidden_link" href="http://www.businessinsider.com/blackboard/michele-bachmann">Michele Bachmann</a></strong> is against slavery.&nbsp; The list goes on. Hello America!</p>
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</div><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jon-stewart-allen-west-michele-bachmann-video-2011-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/oreilly-allen-west-wasserman-shultz-apology-video-2011-7O'REILLY: Allen West Should Not Apologize To Debbie Wasserman Shultzhttp://www.businessinsider.com/oreilly-allen-west-wasserman-shultz-apology-video-2011-7
Thu, 21 Jul 2011 21:14:00 -0400Steven Loeb
<p>"I think he should have gone after Wasserman Schultz the way he wanted to."</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="349" frameborder="0" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/dp2Z88NMy_c"></iframe></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/oreilly-allen-west-wasserman-shultz-apology-video-2011-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p>